The 10 Wealthiest Networking Kings and Queens

Money may not be everything, but maybe power is. According to a new list of the most influential and wealthiest people, you don't have to be the richest to be the most "influential."

Wealth-X, a company based in Singapore which has a propiertary databse of individuals worth $30 million or more, has compiled a list of the 50 most influential ultra high net worth individuals, based on the collective net worth of their social and professional networks.

Interestingly enough, Wealth-X said it ignored family connections when compiling the list, hoping not to distort the list of family members who are all ultra high net worth individuals.

For Gates, the first person on the list, Wealth-X Research said it considered the following when assessing his known associates: board members, non-profit associates (trustees and board members), friends and associates in companies that Gates or his investment vehicle 'Cascade Investments' invest in.

In the collection of this list, who you know, not who you are related to, mattered most.

Here are the top 10 most influential people and the value of each person's "circle of influence," according to Wealth-X:

$261 billion

Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

1.

Bill Gates

William Henry Gates III, 57, is co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and founder of Microsoft. His net worth is $66 billion, according to Forbes, making him the richest person in the country. The value of Gates's "circle of influence," according to Wealth-X, is $261 billion.

$227 billion

J. . Scott Applewhite/AP

2.

Bill Clinton

William Jefferson Clinton is founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and a former U.S. president. Financial news site 24/7 Wall Street estimates his net worth at around $38 million. However, the value of his circle of influence is $227 billion, according to Wealth-X.

$194 billion

Scott Eells/Bloomberg via Getty Images

3.

William Albert Ackman

Bill Ackman is founder and CEO of the hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management. He and his wife, Karen, established The Pershing Square Foundation and have signed the Giving Pledge, which invites the wealthy to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. Wealth-X estimates the value of Ackman's sphere of influence at $194 billion. But that doesn't mean Ackman plays nice with his contacts. Last week, he famously got into a verbal spat with billionaire Carl Icahn live on CNBC. The two accused each other of lying and having poor business practices.

$148 billion

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4.

Eli Broad

Eli Broad, 79, is founder of the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Sun America Inc. and KB Home. His net worth is $6.3 billion, according to Forbes, which would make him the 55th richest person in the country.

$146 billion

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

5.

Warren Edward Buffett

The second richest person in the country according to Forbes with a net worth of $46 billion, Warren Buffett is chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The 82-year old has worked with the richest person in the country, Bill Gates, donating billions of dollars to the Gates Foundation and other causes.

$145 billion

6.

Peter George Peterson

Peter George Peterson, 86, is co-founder of financial service company the Blackstone Group. He left the firm in 2008 and has a net worth of $1.2 billion, according to Forbes, which ties him with Jorge Perez and T. Boone Pickens as the 360th richest people in the U.S. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation focuses on the nation's "key fiscal challenges threatening America's future."

$136 billion

Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images

7.

Michael Terry Duke

As CEO and president of Walmart, Michael Duke, 61, earned about $18.7 million in 2011. He leads the country's largest retailer with 4,500 retail facilities in the U.S. alone.

$133 billion

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8.

Keith Rupert Murdoch

As chairman and CEO of News Corp., Rupert Murdoch, 81, owns a global media empire and is the 36th richest person in the country, according to Forbes.

$132 billion

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

9.

Thomas Boone Pickens Jr.

T. Boone Pickens Jr., 84, made a name for himself in the energy industry, working at Phillips Petroleum then later starting Mesa Petroleum. He is now chairman of BP Capital Management. He has a net worth of $1.2 billion and is tied for 360th richest person in the country, according to Forbes.

$131 billion

Heesoon Yim/AP Photo

10.

Linda S. Wolf

The only woman in Wealth-X's top-10 list, Linda Wolf, 63, is a director on Walmart's board, as well as a number of other organizations.

She is also former chairwoman and CEO of Leo Burnett Worldwide, Inc., the advertising agency.